Young: Having a chartered flight does not guarantee entry into TT

NATIONAL Security Minister Stuart Young said the ability of people to charter their own flights will not guarantee them entry into the country during the covid19 pandemic.

At the Ministry of Health’s covid19 briefing on Wednesday, Young said he has been receiving requests from TT nationals in the British Virgin Islands, India, Australia, Bangladesh and even from an island in the Pacific Ocean, wanting to return home. He added some of these people have said they can charter their own planes to fly to TT.

Young made it clear, "You are not going to get permission to enter TT just because you can get on a plane and come here, because you can afford to charter a plane." He added that this does not give these people an advantage over others who are more needy and cannot charter their own flights.

Young said the process to grant exemptions for to re-enter the country while the borders are closed, is clearly laid out – from confirmation that the people are TT nationals, to their final flight details. He explained that only when final flight details are received, can they be allowed to return home.

He reiterated that upon their return, they are immediately placed in state quarantine instead of being allowed to return home. With all of TT's covid19 cases so far being imported and not local, Young said, "We are managing the process, we are managing the numbers. That will continue to be our procedure as we deal with it."

Young also said "Government does not get involved in flight details" of TT nationals who are returning home. He said this is reflected by one person who was in Venezuela, returned to TT without any help from the government of either country and is now in state quarantine.

Young stressed that while TT nationals are being allowed to return home, they are being allowed to do so in a manner which does not overburden the public health system. Non-nationals are not being allowed entry. He also said he will be speaking with the principals of UWI's Mona and Cave Hill campuses in Jamaica and Barbados respectively, about allowing any of the estimated 200 TT students who are spread between both campuses to return home. Young said he would hold a Zoom meeting with the principals later in the day.

At the briefing, Communications Minister Donna Cox announced that the Prime Minister will be speaking at the next briefing scheduled for May 30.